


Almost

by thatfamoushappyending (betsytheoven)



Series: Home Is Where the Heart Is [2]
Category: Check Please! (Webcomic)
Genre: Established Relationship, M/M, Marriage Proposal
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-08-06
Updated: 2015-08-06
Packaged: 2018-04-13 06:13:51
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,417
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4510911
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/betsytheoven/pseuds/thatfamoushappyending
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>After Bitty gets better, Jack is ready to propose-- when he wins the Stanley Cup.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Almost

**Author's Note:**

> Alyssakate asked if Jack actually proposed that night, after telling Bitty he was waiting to propose until he won the Stanley Cup.

They lost.   
  
The Falconers lost the Stanley Cup in the last 30 seconds.

 

Jack was heartbroken and in a daze as the Blackhawks celebrated their Cup win, and all Jack could think about was the weight of the loss.

 

_I am not proposing. I’m saving that for when I win the Stanley Cup someday_

__  
  


When Jack had said _someday_ , even he could hear how tacked on it was. He had meant two days from then. There was a ring box stashed over in the box by his water bottle, waiting for Jack to snatch it and propose to Bitty as his teammates made their victory laps, while everyone celebrated a win.

 

Only a couple of people on management were aware of his plans, just so the PR team could have statements prepared and so George could fight anyone who tried to insult Jack. He was really glad he didn’t tell anyone else on the team right now, looks of pity were the last thing Jack wanted to see as he tried to get off the ice before the cup victory laps started.

 

The game had been close, but in the last few minutes, Jack was so sure that they had it in the bag, and then... it crumbled faster than he could tie it back up. They played well, better than anyone had expected them to. Jack couldn’t even get to the point of blaming himself for the loss, all he could think about was that _Bitty will never marry me now_.

 

He took his time in the locker room, changing with the speed of a hungover frog who awoke in the Haus  to find themselves under a pile of forgotten clothes. He could hear his phone’s vibrations coming from his hockey bag, but he didn’t bother opening the bag for fear of accidentally catching sight of the ring box. When he finally made his way out of the locker room, there were only a few guys left, each one sort of staring off into the distance, eyes glazed over.

 

They had all considered the chance that they would lose, of course. Especially Jack, who was cautious of becoming too confident, had looked at all of the different ways they could fail. But he had gotten his hopes up so high in that last minute...

 

He had seen himself kneeling down at center ice, pulling the ring box out, and speaking to Eric as if there was no one else in the whole damn stadium, and saying, “If home is where the heart is, than you are my home. I have a home filled with the sweet smell of baked goods, a charm that could accomplish anything, and I wouldn’t give up my home for all the Stanley Cups in the world.”

 

There was no way he could leave it at just that, but Jack hadn’t been able to get any further in his head, as suddenly the Falconers were tied. And then they lost.

 

The second he stepped out into the hall, a pair of arms wrapped around him.

 

“I’m so proud of you son! You did a damn fine job out there.” His father was beaming like he was carrying the Cup, but Jack tried to smile despite the loss.

 

“Thanks, Papa. Do you know where Eric is?”

 

Bob laughed a bit and shook his head fondly. He gestured down the hall with a soft smile and what he hoped was an encouraging pat. Jack barely registered any of it once he noticed Bitty at the end of the hall.

 

He was standing in a circle with Shitty, Lardo, Ransom, Holster, and a few people who Jack vaguely remembered as the friends of the guys still lurking in the locker room.

 

Jack trudged over, hockey bag over his shoulder, and shrugged softly at the group.

 

“Almost.”

 

* * *

 

The prospect of almost nearly drives Jack insane.

 

He almost won the Stanley Cup. He almost proved his hockey skills to the world. He almost proposed to Eric at center ice. He almost outed himself to everyone watching the Stanley Cup finals. He almost let himself have a few moments of selfish happiness, where he and Eric could skate around the ice together with the Cup, and take press photos with his fiancé while taking the Cup on it’s parade.

 

He almost had a fiancé.

 

The idea of almost is what drives Jack take Bitty to a romantic dinner at one of the most expensive restaurants in Providence. He ordered champagne and dressed in a tux and ordered an amazing dessert for Bitty.

 

And he didn’t propose.

 

They ended up being in Anaheim at the same time and instead of eating in their hotel room, Jack suggested a walk on the beach. They drove the short distance to the beach and walked under the moonlight, all soft whispers and gentle hands.

 

And he still didn’t propose.

 

It was starting to become a theme, to the point where even Bitty seemed to catch on that Jack was taking him on proposal dates, minus the proposal part.

 

One night when Bitty happened to be in Quebec while Jack was visiting his parents, they were curled up in bed but Jack was plagued by _almostalmostalmost_.

 

“Eric, you awake?”

 

“Jack, honey, I have to be up in 6 hours.”

 

Jack sighed and was about to roll over and talk to him before he left in the morning, but he knew he wouldn’t, couldn’t do it.

 

“At the final, for the Cup... I...” Jack sighed and pulled himself into a sitting position facing the wall.

 

“I was going to propose to you that night. I had it all planned, Bitty, and I was going to do it. I had this whole plan in my head and this terrible speech. It was going to be at center ice and... you would have loved it. It was going to be perfect.”

 

Bitty was now sitting up next to him, and Jack slowly intertwined his fingers with his boyfriend’s. They fit so well together.

 

“And then?” Bitty softly murmured, his thumb rubbing the back of Jack’s hand.

 

Jack snorted derisively, “And then we lost. My one job was to make sure we won the Cup so I could propose to you, and... I couldn’t even do that.”

 

Bitty pulled Jack’s hand towards him, making Jack look up at him.

 

“Now you listen to my, Jack. When you said that you weren’t proposing right then but were waiting until you won the Cup, well I was pleased as pie. But on my list of reasons I want to marry you, winning the Stanley Cup is not on that list at all.”

 

Jack’s eyebrows drew together at this, “But I didn’t keep my pro-”

 

“Jack Laurent Zimmermann, I love you. You may not have loved me from the start, but you admit your mistakes, and let people in whether you like it or not. You have one of the most gentle hearts I have ever seen, and your capacity for love never ceases to astound me. My life without you would be... Lord, who knows where. I definitely would not be this happy and I don’t know what I ever did to deserve a man as kind as you. I want to marry you because of your heart, your surprisingly hilarious jokes, your obsession with historical documentaries, and for your butt that has become legendary within the NHL. I want to marry you, not any ol’ Stanley Cup winner.”

 

With a small smile tugging at his cheeks, Jack turned to face Bitty on the bed so they were facing each other. Bitty smiled up at him and Jack swore he won the Stanley Cup right then and there.

 

“Jack, oh holder of my heart and light of my life, will you marry me?”

 

Jack dropped his chin to his chest and chuckled lightly. “Eriiic, I cannot believe you stole my line.”

 

Bitty laughed too and the two were framed so wonderfully in the moonlight, one might almost say even the cosmos recognized their love.

 

Jack eventually fumbled around for his ring box and stumbled out a mangled version of what he had come up with in the ice. Bitty nodded with bright pink cheeks, and the regret of Almost finally subsided. He had one last Almost-- an Almost Husband, his amazing fiancé Eric.

 

“Next year, I’ll re-propose on center ice at the Stanley Cup finals. Even if we lose.”

  
Bitty laughed and pulled his fiancé in for a kiss. 

**Author's Note:**

> Thank you for reading! Feel free to join my at [my CP tumblr](http://betsytheoven.tumblr.com/)
> 
> And if you for some reason felt kudos weren't enough, [my ko-fi page is now up & running!](ko-fi.com/kimske)


End file.
